Starter for engines



M. B. JACKSON 1,830,759

Nov. 10, 1931.

STARTER FOR ENGINES Filed Oct. 17, 1927 INVENTDR- Patented Nov. 10, 1931 MAUNSELL B. JacKson, ormononro, ON'ILARIO, CANADA STARTER non. nemies Application filed October 17, 1927. SeriatNo. 226,740.

This invention relates to starters for internal combustion 1 engines of the type in which the starter pinion is manually moved into and out of meshing engagement with the engine gear,'and my object is to provide simple apparatus of this character which may be manufactured cheaply yet be durable and efficient and which, when the engine is started, will be silently driven thereby until it is de-meshed' I attainmy object by means of the constructions briefly described as follows. The starter pinion is freely mounted on a sleeve which is freely mounted on the armature shaft of the starter motor. The pinion is normally held, by means of a light spring disposed on the sleeve, in clutching engagement with a clutch member secured to the sleeve. The clutch member is mounted in a cylinder which has one end splined on the armature shaft and hasa pin and spiral slot driving connection with the clutch member. A spring carried within the cylinder tends to keep the clutch member pin in engagement'with 5 the inner end of its slot.-'The cylinder is axially moved by means of a foot pedal to move the pinion axially and if the teeth thereof are in alinenient with the spaces'between the gear teeth the pinion will be directly meshed with the gear. If the pinion teeth meet end to end with the gear teeth the axial.

movement of the pinion will be stopped and the continued axial movement of the cylinder will cause, by means of the pin and spiral 5 slot connection, the clutch member and thus the pinion to'be rotated until its teeth clear the gear teeth. The pinion will then be axially moved again by the cylinder until the sleeve strikes an abutment on the armature shaft which determines the fully meshed position of the pinion and gear. When this occurs the starter motor switch is closed by a rod carried by the foot pedal and the motor is energized to rotate the cylinder and thus j, the clutch member, pinion and gear. The

pinion and gear have helical teeth whereby the pinion, when the engine starts, is axially moved, against the tension of the light spring away from the clutch member to prevent any e clicking noises as the pinion over-runs the clutch member. The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation of my starter showing the parts in their inoperative positions;

Fig. 2 a'plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 that are carried by the armature shaft;

Fig. 3 a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the position of the parts when the pinion has been rotated to permit it to be meshed with the gear; 1

Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in position to drive the gear; and i Fig. 5 a view similar toFig. 4 showing the pinion being driven by the gear and out of engagement with its clutch member.

' In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. j r

1 is. an electric motor provided with an extended armature shaft 2 on which is freely and slidably mounted a sleeve 3. A pinion 4t freely and slidably mounted on the sleeve is normally'held, by means of a light spring 5, in'engagement with a clutch member 6 secured to the sleeve. The pinion is adaptedto be meshed with a gear'12 of the engine to be started. The spring 5 is disposed on the sleeve which is provided with a flange 3 for engaging one end of the spring, theother end of which engages the end of the pinion. The clutchmember 6 is provided with ratchet teeth 6 adapted to engage the ends 4* of the pinion teeth, which ends project beyond the 8 end of the pinion and are shaped to co-operite'with the ratchet teeth on the clutch memer. a r "The clutch member 6 is slidably mounted in a cylinder 7 which is splined on the armature shaft 2 for axial movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith. A drive connection between the cylinder and the clutch'member is formed by means of a pin and spiral slot connection. The pin 6 is car- 9 ried by the clutch member and engages thewalls of the spiral slot 7 formed in the cylinder. "To provide a positive driving connection between the cylinder and clutch memher. when the armature shaft is rotated by the motor, the walls 7 at the outer end of the slot 7" are arranged substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder so that'there is no force acting against the pin 6 to tend to move the clutch member axially. The pinion teeth are turned down at 4* to provide clearance for the cylinder so that its slot end 7 may be moved into engagement with the pin 6. shaft and carried within the cylinder has one end in engagement with the latter and the other end in engagement with the clutch member whereby the pin 6* is normally positioned at the inner end of the slot 7"". The spring 8 is frustdconical in shape so that when compressed its coils will lie within one another. v

The splined end of the cylinder 7 is provided with a groove 7 adapted to receive the forked ends of a collar 9 secured to a manually operated rod 10. This rod is slidably mounted in a bearing 11 which may be carried by the casing 13 for enclosing the axially movable parts of the starter mechanism. To the rod 10 is pivotally connecteda foot-pedal device 10 which is provided with a finger 10 adapted to actuate the usual plunger type switch 1 of the motor and close it when the pinion is fully meshed with the gear and the walls T of the slot are in engagement with the pin 6 for driving the pinion.

Assuming the parts are in theirnormal or inoperative positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mode of operation is as follows. .The operator by depressing the foot device 10 moves the cylinder 7 axially of the armature shaft 2 and thus axially moves the spring 8, clutch member '7, sleeve 3, spring 5 and pinion at. If the teeth on the latter are in alinement with the spaces betweenthe gear teeth the pinion will be directly meshed with the gear and the axial movement of the sleeve 3, spring 5, pinion i and clutch member 7 W111 be stopped when the flange 3 engages an abutment 2 on the armature shaft 2. If the pinion teeth meet end to end with the gear teeth the axial movement of the pinion, the clutch member and the sleeve will be stopped. The continued axial movement of the cylinder 7 will cause the clutch member 6 to be rotated relative to the cylinder whereby the pinion will be rotated to aline its teeth with the spaces between thegear teeth as shown in The device as a whole will then again move axially of the armature shaft until the flange 3 engages the abutment 2? with the pinion fully meshed with the gear. The axial movement of the sleeve 3 and clutch member 6 isthns stopped with the spring 5 holding the pinion in clutching engagement with the clutch member. In either of the. above cases where the flange 3 engages the abutment 2, the movement of the foot pedal device 10 and the cylinder is continued until the outer end walls 7* of the slot 7? in the cyle A spring 8 disposed on the armature,

inder engage the pin 6*. This final movement of the cylinder is a combined axial and rotary movement as the power required to gagement with the pin 6 During this nonrotary movement of the cylinder 7 the finger 10 closes the switch 1 to energize the starter motor 1 and thus drive'the engine.

WVhen the engine starts the ratchet clutch member 6 permits the pinion 4 to be driven by the engine gear 12 at a greater speed than that of the armature shaft. To prevent the teeth of the pinion from clicking past the ratchet teeth 6 of the clutch member, I form helical teeth on the gear and pinion whereby the latter, when drivenby the gear, will be moved axially of the sleeve against the tension of the light spring 5 and be held in spaced relationship with the clutch member. Should the engine make a false start, that is fires once or twice and then dies down, the pinion will tend to overrun the gear whereby the pres: sure of thehelical pinion teeth against the helical gear teeth will cause the pinion to be moved axially to re-engage the ratchet teeth 6 The spring 5 also assists in this operation. l/Vhen the operator removes his foot from the foot pedal device 10 the spring 10 thereof will withdraw the pinion from meshing engagement with the gear and the spring 8 will return the pin 6' to the inner end of the slot 7 hat I claim is;

1. An engine starter drive including a 1'0- tatable shaft; a sleeve slidably and freely mounted on the shaft; a pinion slidably and freely mounted on the sleeve and adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started, the pinion and gear being provided with helical teeth; an axially movable cylinder splined on the shaft; a clutch member slidable in the cylinder and secured to the sleeve, the pinion being adapted to have a driven engagement with the clutch member; a pin and spiral slot drive connection be tween the cylinder and the clutch member whereby the pinion may be moved axially into meshing engagement with the gear and be driven'by the shaft, the pin and slot connection also being adapted to cause the pinion to be rotated if the pinion teeth meet end to end with the gearteeth, the sleeve being provided with a flange; and a spring disposed on the sleeve in engagement with the flange and the pinion and adapted to permit the pinion to be moved axially by the 7 gear away from the clutch member when the engine is started.

2. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; a sleeve slidably and freely mounted on the shaft; a pinion slidably and freely mounted on the sleeve and adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started, the pinion and gear being provided with helical teeth; and axially movable cylinder splined on the shaft; a clutch member slidable in the cylinder and secured to the sleeve, the pinion being adapted to have a driven engagement with the clutchmemher; a pin and spiral slot drive connection between the cylinder and'the clutch member whereby the pinion may be moved axially into meshing engagement with the gear and be driven by the shaft, the pin and slot connection also being adapted to cause the pinion to be rotated if the pinion teeth meet end to end with the gear teeth; an abutment; a spring engaging the clutch member and the cylinder and tending to maintain the pin at the inner end of its slot, the sleeve being provided with a flange adapted to engage the abutment; and a light spring disposed on the sleeve in engagement with the flange and the pinion and adapted to permit the pinion to be moved axially by the gear away from the clutch member when the engine is started.

8. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started; and manually operable means for meshing the pinion including a member adapted to have a driving engagement with the pinion, a member having a driving engagement with the shaft and adapted to be moved axially thereof, and a pin and inclined plane connection for forming a drive connection between the shaft driven member and the pinion engaging m mber, whereby the movement of the axially movable member will cause the pinion to be moved axially of the shaft to mesh the pinion with the engine gear, and will cause the pinion to be rotated if the pinion and gear teeth meet end to end, the said pin and inclined plane connection completing the drive connection between the shaft and pinion so that the pinion will be driven by the shaft. I

4. An engine starter including a driving shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started; a clutch member adapted to have a driving engagement with the pinion; and means inclnding a pin and inclined slot connection for forming a drive connection be tween the driving shaft and the clutch memloer and adapted to cause the aforesaid axial movement of the pinion and to'cause the pinion to be rotated if the teeth on the latter meet end toend with the teeth on the gear.

5.;An engine starter including a driving shaft; aclutch member having a drive 0011-.

nection with the shaft and provided with tatable shaft; a'clutchlmember provided with ratchet .teeth; an axially movable pinion adapted to be meshed with agear of an engine to be started and adapted to have a driven engagement with the ratchet teeth; and means including a pin and inclined slot connection for forming a drive connection between .the shaft and. the clutch member, and adapted to cause the aforesaid axial movement of the pinion and to cause the pinion to .be rotated if the teethon the latter meet end to end with the teeth on the gear, the gear and pinion being provided with helical teethwhereby-the pinion is axially moved out of contact with the ratchet teeth when the engine gear drives the pinion.

Y 7.. Anengine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started; an axially movable cylinder spline d on the shaft; a clutch member mounted in the cylinder, therpinion being adapted to have a driven engagement with the clutch member; and a pin and spiral slot drive connection between the cylinder and the clutch member whereby the axial movement of the cylinder will cause the pinion to be moved axially into meshing engagement with the gear,the pin and slot connection also being adapted to cause the pinion to be rotated if the pinion teethmeet end to end with the gear teeth and to complete the drive connection between the shaft and pinion so that thelatter will be driven by the shaft.

8. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; a toothed ratchet device adapted to form a driving connection between the drive connection with'the shaft to form a driving connection between the shaft and the pinion whereby the pinion may'drive the gear of the engine when the pinion is meshed with the said gear and the motor istenergized; and means whereby the pinion engaging part will be entirely withdrawn from said driving relationship when the engine gear is driving the pinion faster than the said rotatable shaft tends to drive it and wherebythe pinion engaging part will be restored to said driving relationship should the engine gear'subsequently cease to drive the pinion faster than the said rotatable shaft tends to drive it.

10. An engine starter drive including a r0.- tatable shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; a toothed ratchet device having one part adapted to have a driving engagement withvthe pinion and another part having a drive connection with the shaft to form a driving connection between the shaft and pinion; and means for causing the entire disengagement of the said pinion engaging part from thepinion whenever the latter is driven by the gear and for re-eetablishing the driving engagement between the said pinionengaging part and the pinion whenever the latter tends to overrun the gear.

11. An engine starter drive includinga rotatable shaft; an axially movable pinion adapted to be meshed with a gear of an engine to be started; a ratchet device adapted to have at driving engagement with the pinion;

, means including a pin and inclined slot connection adapted to form a drive connection between the shaft and the ratchet device, adapted also to cause the aforesaid axial movement of the pinion and adapted to cause the pinion to be rotated if the teeth on the latter meet end to end with the teeth on the gear; and means for disengaging the pinion from the ratchet device when the engine gear drives the pinion.

Signed at Toronto, of October 1927. V

A. MAUNSELL B. JACKSON.

Canada, this 13th day 

